• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)

AGAIN! I'm changing software

Share this page

Basil

Basil

Administrator
Staff member
Boss
Online
It seems that the version of UBBThreads I'm using has some security holes that hackers have figured out. I just spent the entire evening (liteally) cleaining up their mess. They had hidded dirctors and hidden files all over the place and had hijacked the BCF mail server to use as a spam-bot.

Needless to say, I am going to have to change software in the very near future.

I apologize for the inconvenience folks, I wish I knew why people have to get their sense or self by destroying what others do. Pretty pathetic segment of humanity of you ask me.

There is no guarantee they won't strike again, but I am going to be checking things ver very often looking for their footprints.

Again, I'm sorry for all this bother!

Basil
 
Basil:

We all appreciate all the time that you have put in to keep our forum up.

Thanks a million!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Basil:

We all appreciate all the time that you have put in to keep our forum up.

Thanks a million!

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate your patience. I am almost certain that the problem is a security "hole" in the SW I'm using which allows these lowlifes to upload code that allows them a "back door" into the server, when they can do just about anything they want to. I am working very hard on getting a new system in place, but it may tale a little while.

Basil
 
Basil! Don't apologize to us! What you do to keep this forum running is hard work and we appreciate all your efforts. Hang in there!
 
I agree with Janel: no apologies needed! Just wish there were something we were able to do!
 
Thanks for your efforts, Basil!

I am sure that our "enemy" will never have the kind of friendship and camaraderie that we all have here.
You have to feel sorry for someone who is such an undoubtedly jealous, pathetic and low-life loser!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Basil! Don't apologize to us! What you do to keep this forum running is hard work and we appreciate all your efforts. Hang in there!

[/ QUOTE ] /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
Basil you are the MAN!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
The LOSER is just that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/pukeface.gif
 
I'm in total agreement with all of the above sentiments. Rest assured that all your time and effort is greatly appreciated by every one of us here, and I'm sure we can suffer a minor inconvenience on our part.
I too, wish there was something I could do to help.
Jeff
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm in total agreement with all of the above sentiments. Rest assured that all your time and effort is greatly appreciated by every one of us here, and I'm sure we can suffer a minor inconvenience on our part.
I too, wish there was something I could do to help.
Jeff

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sort of in a catch 22 situation here. The software I want to switch to requires MySQL 4.0 or higher and my server only has version 3 (an it can't be easily upgraded due to the server control panel version I'm using.

My ISP is in the process of seeting up some servers that will run a different control panal and will allow MySQL 4, but it may be a week or two before we're there.

The software I want to use is currently version 1.0, but I am waiting for 1.1 before I consider a change because 1.1 has some features that I really require. Unfortunately v 1.1 is on Alpha testing, but they promise that it will be in Beta testing any time now (not sure what that means). Anyway, I have volunteered to be a Beta tester for Version 1.1, but it may mean some bugs along the way. I'm willing to put up with a few bugs for a while in order to get out from under this hacker's exploits.

Not sure what or when changes will be made, but they will be made one way or the other and I hope soon.

Basil
 
[ QUOTE ]
Basil! Don't apologize to us! What you do to keep this forum running is hard work and we appreciate all your efforts. Hang in there!

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif

The BCF is a great resource and all your efforts are well appreciated....
 
ditto on the apologies. None necessary. We all appreciate what you've been doing for the community, and happy to be part of it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I think we all agree that the apologies should not come from you Basil.
What you have done, and valiantly keep on doing, is truly aweinspiring.
 
Thanks all - <font color="red">and now for an update:</font> I have been trying to track down info on this particular security issue that allowed this to happen and I'm happy to say (knock on wood), that I am 90 percent sure I have found the answer. Seems there is one file in the UBB.Threads software that, if you know how it works, will allow a hacker to execute their own scripts by calling this particular file directly (and supplying their own arguments). The good news is (I hope) that there IS a fix for this security hole and I have just applied it.

Keep your fingers crossed,

Basil /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
 
Fingers, toes, legs, eyes, and anything else I have two of, are firmly crossed.
Really makes it hard to type! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Jeff
 
By the way, I modified the fix a little so that IF they try to access that file directly again, they will see this:

Reverse Tracking....
Success!!

Authorities have been notified in your location.
Have a wonnderful day.


Basil /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
You go man! I knew you'd at least get them somehow. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Nice touch! If only it actually worked that easily. LOL!

[/ QUOTE ]

I was successful in catching a hacker a couple of years ago. They're smart, but they are not perfect. (ask the kid in California facing major charges for doing exactly what this hacker(s) did).

Basil
 
yup... that's for sure. A lot of them are bright, but certianly not perfect snoops...

Hopefully your fix will stop the insanity /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good job Basil /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Back
Top